They now focus on communication, not enforcement.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has changed its strategy around lockdown regulations. Now, they will focus more on communication with those who break the lockdown rules, instead of enforcing them by means of arrests and the handing out of fines.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, Police Minister Bheki Cele said that the Police have had a rethink as to their approach. The fact that the country has eased restrictions back to level 1 of the lockdown regulations further informed their newly developed strategy.
Previously, the Police faced heavy criticism from the public after some 400 000 people were arrested for breaking lockdown rules by April 2021.
“With going back to level 1, you go back to dealing with other things rather than the protocols. We do still remind people about protocols, though we are now back to focusing on core policing and crime issues,” Cele said.
He mentioned that by reminding people to follow the rules, they often do.
“You go around asking people where their masks are, and they all take their masks out of their pockets, without fail. The regulation says that I should remind you, and if you don’t have it, I should arrest you.”
Ahead of the local government election on 1 November, rallies and protests have become a massive problem, because they usually don’t accommodate for social distancing – which is another rule that the regulations stipulate. Churches, bars and community events are also proving difficult to police.
“The political gatherings will forever be monitored, even when there is no Covid-19, but the police, must stay a little bit far. Otherwise, we will be accused of being a police state that is shutting down or interfering with the political activity,” he said.
Critics have warned that the elections might be a superspreader event and some have suggested that the lockdown regulations be tweaked to ensure stricter policing at the polls this year.
Among other things, experts have said it is a good idea to ban the sale of alcohol on election day and to ease the curfew to reduce any possible friction when it comes to people who have to travel far to vote in their district.
